Semiconductor component containing compound of aluminum, gallium, indium, arsenic, and antimony has mesa structure whose sides have passivation layer of compound of aluminum, gallium, arsenic, and antimony

Abstract

A Semiconductor component that contains Al x Ga y In 1-x-y As z Sb 1-z , whereby the parameters x, y, and z are selected such that a bandgap of less than 350 meV is achieved, whereby it features a mesa-structuring and a passivation layer containing Al n Ga 1-n As m Sb 1-m is applied at least partially on at least one lateral surface of the structuring, and the parameter n is selected in the range of 0.4 to 1 and the parameter m in the range of 0 to 1.

1. A semiconductor component comprising Al x Ga y In 1-x-y As z Sb 1-z , wherein parameters x, y, and z are selected to achieve a bandgap of less than 350 meV, the component comprising:
 a mesa-structuring comprising an active region; and 
 a passivation layer comprising Al n Ga 1-n As m Sb 1-m  applied at least partially on at least one lateral surface of the mesa structuring, wherein the parameter n is selectable within a range of 0.5 to 0.85 and the parameter m is selectable within a range of 0 to 1. 
 
     
     
       2. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the active region comprises individual layers containing InAs and Ga y In 1-y Sb with layer thicknesses of about 2 nm to about 10 nm. 
     
     
       3. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , wherein the parameter m is selected in the range of 0 to 0.15. 
     
     
       4. The semiconductor component according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the parameter m is 0.07. 
     
     
       5. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , wherein the passivation layer comprises one of a p-doping or an n-doping. 
     
     
       6. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , wherein the passivation layer is doped with one of beryllium or tellurium. 
     
     
       7. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bipolar semiconductor component. 
     
     
       8. The semiconductor component according to  claim 7 , wherein the bipolar component comprises a bipolar photodiode. 
     
     
       9. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant layer applied at least partially on the passivation layer. 
     
     
       10. The semiconductor component according to  claim 9 , wherein the antioxidant layer comprises Si p N q  and/or SiO 2  and/or SiO p N q . 
     
     
       11. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one lateral surface of the mesa structures is present in (010), (0-10), (100), or (−100) orientation. 
     
     
       12. The semiconductor component according to  claim 1 , further comprising a metal contact located on surface regions not covered by the passivation layer. 
     
     
       13. A method for the production of a semiconductor component comprising:
 producing at least one active semiconductor region of an Al x Ga 1-n In 1-x-y As z Sb 1-z -containing material with a bandgap of less than 350 meV; 
 forming mesa structures in the at least one active semiconductor region; 
 applying a passivation layer containing Al n Ga 1-n As m Sb 1-m  on at least one lateral surface of the mesa structures, whereby parameter n is selectable in a range of 0.5 to 0.85 and the parameter m is selectable in a range of 0 to 1. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising producing the active semiconductor region from at least one layer containing InAs with a thickness of about 2 nm to about 10 nm, on which at least one layer containing Ga y In 1-y Sb with a thickness of about 2 nm to about 10 nm is applied. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of:
 parameter m is selectable within the range of 0 to 0.15. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising adding a dopant to the passivation layer. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising applying an antioxidant layer on a side of the passivation layer facing away from the active semiconductor region. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising producing at least one of the active semiconductor region and/or the passivation layer by molecular beam epitaxy. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein forming the mesa structures takes place by photolithography. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein before the passivation layer is applied, the method comprises cleaning the surface of the active semiconductor region by thermal desorption. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the thermal desorption takes place at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 620° C. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the thermal desorption is undertaken with simultaneous antimony stabilization. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor component comprises an infrared photodiode array. 
     
     
       24. A semiconductor component comprising Al x Ga y In 1-x-y As z Sb 1-z , wherein parameters x, y, and z are selected to achieve a bandgap of less than 350 meV, the component comprising:
 a flat-structuring; and 
 a passivation layer comprising Al n Ga 1-n As m Sb 1-m  being applied to at least partially cover the flat-structuring, wherein the parameter n is selectable within a range of 0.5 to 0.85 and the parameter m is selectable within a range of 0 to 1. 
 
     
     
       25. A semiconductor component comprising Al x Ga y In 1-x-y As z Sb 1-z , wherein parameters x, y, and z are selected to achieve a bandgap of less than 350 meV, the component comprising:
 a mesa-structuring comprising an active region; and 
 a passivation layer comprising Al n Ga 1-n As m Sb 1-m  applied at least partially on at least one lateral surface of the mesa structuring, wherein the parameter n is selectable within a range of 0.5 to 0.85 and the parameter m is selectable within a range of 0 to 0.15. 
 
     
     
       26. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the active region comprises individual layers containing InAs and Ga y In 1-y Sb with layer thicknesses of about 2 nm to about 10 nm. 
     
     
       27. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , wherein the passivation layer comprises one of a p-doping or an n-doping. 
     
     
       28. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , wherein the passivation layer is doped with one of beryllium or tellurium. 
     
     
       29. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , further comprising a bipolar photodiode. 
     
     
       30. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , further comprising an antioxidant layer applied at least partially on the passivation layer. 
     
     
       31. The semiconductor component according to  claim 30 , wherein the antioxidant layer comprises Si p N q  and/or SiO 2  and/or SiO p N q . 
     
     
       32. The semiconductor component according to  claim 25 , further comprising a metal contact located on surface regions not covered by the passivation layer.